Friday, 7 December 2007

Now we're in the Christmas season it's only right to feature a Christmas classic. Frankie Goes to Hollywood were just one of those bands that defined the '80s - add The Smiths and The Cure and you've probably got the trinity of '80s music.

'The Power of Love' is simply a great song. My brother had bought the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome (1984) and played it endlessly in the house and car. If I remember rightly, the single came hard on the heels of 'Relax' and 'Two Tribes' both of which caused quite a stir on the radio and yet it was so utterly different in every way from its predecessors. As a Christian I can only say that the lyrics are moving and a fantastic expression of the Holy Spirit. And yet typically all we heard about at the time of the release were the same old voices - condemnation from Christians looking down from their ivory towers and judging the lifestyles of Holly Johnson and co and then the liberal secularists assuming it was all just irony.

It strikes me that if there is any irony in the song, it is that both the conservative Christians and the liberal secularists both miss the point. The ironic thing is to think that just because the band members were gay, just because the band didn't appear to be 'religious' and just because they usually sang about sex and drugs, that the message of Jesus Christ could not be expressed in and through them. They sound like the very people Jesus would choose to hang out with.

Saturday, 1 December 2007

New month so time for something different. From time to time I thought I might offer a playlist on a particular theme (in Bob Dylan theme time radio style) - gives a chance to increase the variety of songs without full explanations. Every one is a cracker - what can I say! If you have time, check them out.

Why the blog?

Someone once asked, 'why should the devil have all the best tunes?' Truth is, he doesn't. Songs for the Journey is a record of my favourite tracks that motivate, inspire and challenge faith. It's the kind of stuff you'll never hear in church but you should do, because if you listen hard enough you can hear His harmonies.